Roller belt conveyor for mouthpiece cigarette assemblies



July 12, 1960 ROLLER BELT CONVEY OR FOR MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTE ASSEMBLIES G. D'EARSLEY ET AL 2,944,659

Fjiled July 14, 1958 FIG. 2

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GEORGE DEARSLEY v BY TENNES ERSTAD Maw ATTORNEY Un d Sees. Pa m r ROLLER BELT CONVEYOR FOR MOUTHPIECE I I CIGARETTE V George Dearsley, Raleigh, N.C., and Tennes I. Elrstad, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignors to American ,Ma'clnne & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed July 14, 1958, Ser. No.'748,444 Claims. (Cl. 198-183) This invention relates to a cigarette making machine and more particularly to an apparatus and method for conveying assemblies ofmouthpiece cigarettes by an end space, the various mechanisms operating 'on the cigarettes must be grouped around thedrum, which entails placing some mechanisms on the underside thereof, thus rendering them relatively inaccessible if the uppermost mechanisms are placed at a convenient working height.

7 To overcome these disadvantages sprocket chains carrying assembly supporting rollers were used. This turned out to be unsatisfactory because the various elements .got out of timing due to wear in the joints of the chain,'which resulted in a change in pitch of the rollers. This caused the uniting band to be applied too early or too' late to the assembly.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a mouthpiece cigarette assembly conveyor which will not get .out of timing through use and' which will enable the components of the mouthpiece machine to be readily accessible. r

A further object of this invention is to provide an endless fiexible belt of cigarette support rollers which requires no lubrication.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flexible and non-extensible endless belt to support rollers which carry mouthpiece cigarette assemblies which will not change the pitch of the rollers because of wear.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved roller conveyor belt which will be of simple construction and still adequately support cigarette assemblies.

Another object of this invention is to provide an endless conveying belt with its top run at a substantially horizontal plane making it possible to group all of the various operating mechanisms along the top run of the roller belt.

A further object is to providea roller conveyor belt wherein assemblies will be entirely'supported by adjoining rollers. I

Another object is to permit the use of large sized rollers and not be limited to a small size roller and expensive bearings.

'Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses. In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, like characters'of reference have been applied to jcorresponding parts throughout the severalviews which make up the drawings.

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Figureilshows a line diagram of such a belt running over two sets of-sprockets.

Figure 2 shows a partial section on line 22 of Figure 1 I I Figure 3 shows a partial section on line-3-3 of Figure 2. V

Figure 4 shows an embodiment of our invention using a V be1t. p H p e Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

. As mentioned above, a horizontal arrangement of the uniting band applying operations is desireable because it enables all of the components to be positioned at a convenient working height so that they will be readily accessible. Our invention which we will now describe employs a roller belt assembly conveyor apparatus which will embody the advantages mentioned and which avoids the disadvantages heretofore encountered in roller belt assembly conveyors.

Figure 1 shows a general configuration of a belt used in our improved mouthpiece cigarette assembly conveyor; Here thetop run 10 of the belt 12 is supported on suitable guide rails to ensure that it runs in a horizontal plane.- The various units of the machine are grouped about this horizontal plane. In this particular case, a pair of axially spaced. sprockets 16v form the idle sprockets while axially spaced sprockets .14 are the drive sprockets. v.Both of these sets of sprockets 14 and 16 are on fixed centers and guiderails maintain the horizontal run 10 of the belt v12. horizontal while any slack will show up' of the same pair, as seen when looking from the left.

The roller belt assembly is carried on a hub 20, which is mounted on a suitable driving shalt (not shown).

Thisshub. 20 carries spaced sprockets 22, together with a pair of guide rings 24.

A belt-26 is trained over the sprockets 22 inthe manner shown-inFigures l-3 and may be of the type known as a Gilmer rubber like material timing belt.

Such a belt 26 consists of a flat endless band of a rubber-like material which is reinforced with steel cords 27 and which is provided with a series of toothlike projections 28 on one side,- which projections 28 'engage in corresponding grooves 30 in the sprockets 22 to provide the necessary locationto ensure that the parts move in synchrony at all times. 1

In conventional.applications of such a belt, the sprockets are provided with grooves'which engage with every tooth on the belt in succession. In order to adapt this type of belt 26 for the purpose of our invention, special sprockets 22 are provided with grooves 30 to engage every alternate tooth 28 of the belt 26. A clearance groove 34 is provided between eachalternate tooth groove 30 ontlie sprocket 22 in order to'accommodate the fittings which carry the roller assembly. These fittings are located on the' alternate teeth of the'belt which arenot used for driving the belt 26.

Figure 3 is a partial section view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2 and shows the belt 26 with its tooth 28 engaged with, the corresponding groove 30 of the sprocket 22, the clearance groove 34, the carrier 36 for the roller 38 (shownin Figure 2) and clamp 40 which completes'the roller supporting assembly mounted on the belt.

As shown in Figure 2, this assembly is held together Patented July 12, 1950 with the two screws 42 and44 which hold the clamp 40' onto the carrier 36 by holding the intermediate surfaces 46 and 48 in close contact with each other. The proportions of theseparts are such that the -V-groove,35, .formed 1n the carrier 36', Figure 3', fits closely around the] tooth. 29 molded on the belt 26,, and'is h'eldificlbse contact therewith by means ofthe clamp 40 which, although tightenedup tightly on the surfaces 46. and 48,..isflcorrectly proportioned'to hold the carriage 3'6 in close C0117. tact with the tooth 29 of the belt 26 and, yet willfnot permit undue compressive stress on the belt itselfj.

The roller 38. is fastened to the carrier 36 by means of the nuts 49 on each end of'the central rod 50, which by meansof the spacers 52' and 54- locates the ballfraces- 58. and the ball races 56 which in turn-carrythe supporting, rollers 38. The function of' the ball races 58 is to act as a support for the assembly rollers '38 as it runs over the rail 62'thus causingthe top run of the belt to run in a horizontal plane; or in any other desiredconfi'guration.

In order to axially adjust the assembly rollers and to provide an efiicient guide for the traveling belt the clamp plates 40 are provided with clearance holes for the-screws 42 and 44. These holes enable the clamps 40 to be positioned as'required'in' an axial direction relative to the carriers 36. Thus, when assembling these parts, the clamps 44 are moved into close contact with the end guides 24 before tightening the screws 42'and'44'thus avoiding any undue clearance in this direction irrespective of any manufacturing errors which-might exist on the parts. It will'be understood'that a beltconstructed asdescribed consists of an endless series of" rollers positioned by alternate teeth'on the belt, the intermediate teeth being used to drive the belt.

In such a system the pitch of the rollers and'their diameters are'chosen so as to adequately support the cigarette and filter assembliesduring the operation of rolling on the uniting band. wherein we have shown how clamps may be secured to a flexible non-extensible belt. This belt may be of anysuitable material, which doesnot have any links or pivot connection as for example a' fiat or The rollers are mounted in such an arrangement that their relative pitch-willnot be changed because of wear. Consequently, the critical timing involved in placing the tip end of a uniting band against the assembly, preliminary to rolling it thereabout, will always function as desired. Furthermore, there will be no tendency for cigarette assemblies to fall or be squeezeddownwardly between adjoining rollers because they are supported in such a way that. their relative spacing, or pitch" doesnot: become changed over a period ofrtime.

The invention hereinabovedescribed may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for theparticular device selectedto illustrate the invention is, but

' one of many possible embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not toxbe. restricted to the precise details of the structureas shown and described.

What is claimedis:

1. A cigarette assembly conveying and supporting apparatus comprising a pair of belts, tooth-like bulges of rubber-like material projecting from said belts, carriers shaped'to fit on-a number of said teeth, externally applied clamps to'fasten said carriers on to said teeth and roller assemblies on which assemblies of cigarettes are supported by adjoining rollers.

2. A cigarette'assembly conveying and supportingapparatus comprising a pair of flat endless bands of rubbersprockets having alternate large and small tooth-shaped V-belt with embedded-wires running along its'length toprevent the belt from stretching; or it may be anjendless spring steel belt or it' may be formed of spring steel leaves clamped together by the roller carrying fitting.

Figure 4 shows another embodiment of the invention.

In this case, the roller assembly is clamped'onto the belt by means of carriers 66andclamp plates 68' which are arranged as before by correctly proportioningthe parts to obtain a solidabutment between the clamp 68 and the carriages 66 and at the sametime to sutficiently compressthe belt between them to maintain the position without' unduly stressing the belt under compression; In this case, the assemblies are spaced on the V-belt' solely by this frictional grip.

The belt is carried around V-pulleys 70 whichfit the sides of the belt in a conventional'manner. In' addition, the pulleys 70 are also provided with grooves 71 to engage a suitable portion of the carriage 66 which-alsofunctions as a driving'element in order to keep the rollers in time with the remainder of the machine. Figure'S showsa section of the assembly on line 5-5 of Figlre 4. Here carriage 66 and the clamp plate 63 are clamped onto the V-belt 72. As will be seen, the carriage 66 engages grooves 71 cut acrossthe pulleys 70 and thereby keeps the whole assembly in timed relationship with the remainder of the mouthpiece cigarette makingmachine.

The assembly supporting rollers 74 are attached'to this carrier 66 together with their guide rollers in a manner exactly as described in relation to Figure 2.

From the foregoing description it will beevident that in both embodiments of our. invention, we have provided an improved horizontal cigarette mouthpiece assembly conveyor and support along which the assembly umtmg operation can be performed in a'horizontal plane, and because the carrying belts a-re'flexible and not articulated ashitherto, require; no lubrication.

grooves for the carrier to freely fit within the large-grooves and teeth of the belts to be driven by the small corre-- sponding. grooves to ensure that the rollers move in synchrony with the remainder of the machine.

4. A conveying apparatus for a cigarette machine comprising-a drive shaft, a hub mounted and driven by said drive shaft, a pair of sprockets having alternate large and small sized grooves mountedon said hub, two endless members having no pivoted components forming.

belts, a carrier fitting riding within said large grooves, clamps oppositely spaced from said carrier fittings for securing said carriers to the compression sides of said belts, and roller assemblies mounted on said carriers .over which cigarette assemblies are supported in the mouthpiece cigarette making machine, a second pair of similarly grooved sprockets mounted on a secondhub supportedon a shaft onwhich the assembly may turn to support the opposite end of the endless members.

5: An endless-timing apparatus for a cigarette machine comprising a pair of flexible non-extendable belts. with rubber-like teeth, spaced sprockets with groovesin which some teeth or" said belts engage, and over which said belts travel, clamps spaced and exteriorlyattached to eachof said belts, means for driving one pair of said sprockets for driving said. belts, fittings integrally formed on the underside of said clamps to engage with correspondingv grooves formed in said sprockets, and roller assemblies bridgedb'etween two transversely opposed fittings to supportand convey cigarette assemblies in timed relationship with the other parts of the cigarette machine.

6. An assembly'conveyor for a mouthpiece cigarette making machine comprising apair of spaced flexible non extensible-endless bands, a series of block-like members. mounted at; equally spaced distances on each of said? bands on the compression side thereof, shafts mountedr transversely to said bands-and bridged across each oppo-- site pair of said block-like members, and drive sprockets supported on the cigarette machine having recesses in which the block-like members mesh and are engaged to c drive said bands in synchrony with the cigarette machine, a second pair of similarly grooved sprockets mounted on a second hub supported onia shaft on which the assembly may turn to support the opposite end of the endless bands.

7. A roller belt assembly conveyor for a mouthpiece cigarette making machine comprising endless bands, carriers mounted at equally spaced distances on said bands, extensions formed on said carriers, drive sprockets having grooves to mesh with the corresponding extensions of said carriers and to engage said carriers for advancement in timed relationship with the cigarette machine and supporting rollers supported by said carriers to convey cigarettes in mouthpiece cigarette making machine, a second pair of similarly grooved sprockets mounted on a second hub supported on a shaft on which the assembly may turn to support the opposite end of the endless members.

surfaces for engaging with the grooves of said pulleys totime the travel of the rollers. I

9. An endless timing rol-lerbelt device for a cigarette machine comprising shafts, rollers rotatably mounted on said shafts, carriers having V-grooves supporting said shafts, clamps oppositely spaced from said carrier, tooth belts having spaced teeth fitted within said grooves and held on said carriers by said clamps, two pairs of sprockets I having spaced large and small tooth-shaped grooves for the carriers to fit within the large grooves and teeth of the belts to be driven by the small corresponding grooves to insure that the rollers move in synchrony with the remainder of the machine. I

10. An endless timing roller belt device for a cigarette machine comprising shafts, rollers rotatably mounted on said shafts, carriers having V-grooves supporting said shafts, clamps oppositely spaced from said carriers, belts having V-shaped extensions fitted within said grooves and held on said carriers by said clamps, two pairs of sprockets having spaced tooth shaped recesses co-acting with the carriers and belts to insure that the rollers move in synchrony with the remainder of the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 18, 1901 

